cruelty

[kroo-uhl-tee] / ˈkru əl ti /

NOUN

brutality, harshness

Synonyms

STRONGEST

barbarism barbarity inhumanity malice persecution savagery torture

STRONG

animality bestiality bloodthirstiness callousness coarseness coldness depravity despotism ferocity fierceness heartlessness insensibility insensitiveness malignity masochism mercilessness murderousness rancor ruthlessness sadism savageness severity spite spitefulness truculence unfeelingness unkindness venom viciousness wickedness

WEAK

brutishness fiendishness hard-heartedness

Antonyms

STRONGEST

kindness

STRONG

love

WEAK

charity compassion consideration feeling gentility mercy niceness thoughtfulness

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"We recognise we have an ageing population and agree the current system is broken, but we are not into performative cruelty."

From BBC • May 4, 2026

"It's just cruelty and collective punishment," Jayapal added.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

Sometimes it’s the chaos, not the cruelty, that’s the point.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

Viewers accused the show of cruelty and humiliating Tran by making her relive her trauma on live television.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

It amazes me that there are so many different words to pray with, and so many people praying, but there is still so much misery and cruelty in the world.

From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman

Vocabulary lists containing cruelty

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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Real-Life Superheroes

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The Subtle Knife

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!